Firm Also Adds Bo Bartley, Reporter with Experience on Legal Matters, to Its Ranks

WASHINGTON, D.C.— CLS Strategies is thrilled to announce that Emily Pierce has joined the firm as a Senior Vice President, reflecting the continued growth of the strategic communications firm and its crisis and litigation practice. Pierce previously served as Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Department of Justice (DOJ) under President Obama.

While at the DOJ, she advised on policy and law enforcement matters and counseled Attorneys General Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch as well as senior department leaders including Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates on communications strategy. Most recently, Pierce served as a Senior Vice President at Vrge Strategies, where she led strategic communication efforts in high-stakes legal disputes and influential policy debates involving pharmaceuticals, antitrust policy, trade, cryptocurrency, and the tech industry over the last three years.

Pierce also spent 17 years as a reporter and editor at Roll Call and Congressional Quarterly, where she covered major regulatory battles and policy debates.

“Emily is an exceptional addition to our rapidly growing crisis and litigations communications practice, advising Fortune 500 companies, individuals and the nation’s top attorneys as they face complex litigation, government investigations and other reputational challenges,” said CLS Partner Bob Chlopak.

CLS was a pioneer in the litigation communications arena, having begun its work 24 years ago helping parties manage communications issues arising from litigation. In the more than two decades since, CLS has become an industry leader working with companies, individuals and trade organizations, and many of the country’s best-known law firms, on hundreds of legal matters including the nation’s largest multi-district litigation, merger and acquisition reviews, securities litigation, class actions, intellectual property disputes, as well as appellate work, including Supreme Court cases.

“Throughout my career, I have been proud to steer both public and private sector clients through some of the most challenging public crises they’ve faced,” said Emily Pierce. “I am excited to now bring my deep experience in journalism, government and strategic communications to the already stellar CLS team at a time when the firm’s legal and crisis communications clientele is growing and its outstanding reputation for tackling the toughest issues is only increasing.”

In addition to Pierce, Robert “Bo” Bartley has joined the firm as a Managing Associate. Prior to CLS, Bartley was an editor at the political consulting firm Anne Lewis Strategies and worked as a reporter for The Capitol Forum and Fierce Markets where he covered many high profile antitrust and other legal matters.

CLS is also proud to announce the promotion of Lauren Wiggins and Stephanie Wolf to Senior Associates.